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DPD Announces New Crime Reporting Unit

DETROIT (WWJ) – If it’s not an emergency, Detroit Police are asking citizens to call in their complaints to a special telephone crime reporting unit.

Chief Ralph Godbee said Thursday that the city’s financial troubles and a reduced police force means the Detroit Police Department must be reorganized so more officers can be redeployed to street patrol.

“We have a disservice to our community by spreading ourselves thin, giving citizens the belief that we will respond to things that are not an emergency,” said Godbee. “We have to be transparent, we have to be honest and we have to improve our service delivery model.”

The telephone crime reporting program will begin as a pilot project on Monday at the Northeastern District. Godbee plans to roll it out citywide by February 6.

Godbee said the program will result in 100 more officers patrolling city streets.